Loose-leaf binder



Aug. 19, 1941'. G, LEWIS LOOSE-LEAF BINDER INVENTOR. GEORGE LEW/s BY fi/ Filed Dec. 22, 1939 ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 19, 1941 2,253,039 LOOSE-LEAF BINDER.

George Lewis, Los. Angeles, Calif., assignor to The T.. J. Cardoza 00., Ltd. corporationof Nevada San Francisco, Califl, a

Application December 22, 1939, Serial No. 310,593

6 Claims.

This invention relates to loose-leaf binders and particularly relates to a loose-leaf binder in which there is a hinged relationship between the cover members of the binder and a plurality of removably bound sheets which are secured as a unit in the binder.

Among the objects ofthe invention are to provide a loose-leaf binder in which a plurality of sheets may be releasably held together as a unit, and a hinged relationship maintained between said unit and the binder covers; to provide such a binder wherein the sheets may be separated at any selected page and the volume divided for insertion of new sheets or removal of old sheets without disturbing the sequence of the pages in the respective sections where the sheets are divided into two, parts for such insertion or removal; to eliminate in, such binders, the well-known screw-post;,to eliminate from such. binders the spacing of the binding edge ofthe central sheets, a substantial distance forwardly of. the other sheets of the volume, as is characteristic of thewell-known split ring binder; to provide an; efiicient binder which is simple in parts and operation and economical in manufacture, and generally to improve upon loose leaf binder devices.

With the foregoing; and other objects in View, all of which will be more apparent as this description proceeds, the invention is exemplified in one form in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion, size and details of construction of the apparatus may be resorted to within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

To more clearly comprehend the invention, reference is directed to the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig; 1 is a fragmentary perspective of the binder, vertically positioned and with the unit of pages removed from the locking means.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective of the upper portion of the binder with the leaf-unit locked in place.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary transverse horizontal section through the leaf-unit, the locking means, and cover.

Fig. 4 is a perspective of detail of hinge element.

Fig. 5' is a perspective of" locking mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a perspective of bar members and binding post.

In the drawing, wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the several views, l0 represents the binder, generally having at its. opposite sides covers II and, preferably, a flexible binding edge [2 which connects the rear edges l3 of the respective covers. Inserted between the covers ll there are a plurality of overlying sheets or pages 14 each of which has a pluralityof perforations l5 along its binding edge in register with the other sheets. These perforations are to receive therethrough binder post lfi which, as exemplified in its preferable form, comprises freely telescoping members IT and I8, one fitting slidably within the other.

The respective telescoping post members I'i, l8 are each fixedly secured at one end id to elongated bars ZU-Which overlie the edge perforations The bars 20 and cooperating posts [6 releasably hold together the sheets or [5 of the leaves.

pages l4 as a unit which maybe handled and manipulated independently of the binder cover and the other mechanism, so that the pages as a unit may be removed from the cover and pages 20.: to. the respective opposite cover members III.

From the drawing, it will be noted. that there is a hinge member indicated: 2| at each end of each of the opposite cover members. This hinge is of the butt and pintle type having one butt 22 fixedly secured by rivets 23 to the inner face of the cover at the binding edge. The other butt 2.4 is not secured to the cover but is free to pivot on the hinge pintle 25. Preferably, the free butt 2,4 is longer than the opposite butt 2?, said extension being indicated 24 and. being flanged over at its end to provide a foot 26,, the latter serving as an end support or stop. member for the opposite ends of each of the bars 20-, the latter being so dimensioned in length as to fit snugly between the respective feet or stops 26 at the opposite ends of the binder. The bars 20;

and the free butts 24 of the hinges; are secured in releasable locked relation by a locking means. The buttons. 2'! which are upstandingly mounted between the free butt 24 and the heads 28.

on the free butt 24 have their heads 28 spaced from the face of the butt by a stem 29 of smaller diameter than the head, thus providing a space It is to be understood that in providing such a space it is not intended to limit this key and spline principle solely to buttons, since other well-known mechanism may be employed for providing such a space in which a lock plate may slide. Mounted to slide in relation to the free butt 24 of' the hinge is a sliding lock member or plate 3!] having therein anelongated open slot 3|, the edges of the slot fitting under the heads 28 and entering into the space formed by the stems 29 of the buttons 28. This slidable locking member 3a, when spread out in .a. flat plane, is formed like a letter T for the upper hinges and an inverted letter T for the lower hinges. The wings or arms of the T being adapted 3 for folding around the extended portion 24 of the free hinge butt the latter being narrowed or cut away at its hinged edge (see Fig. 4) and enclosing the end of bar 2i! so as to form a box-like structure 36 encasing said ends of both hinge butt and bar,

7 and serving to releasably secure them together and to give a finished covered appearance thereto, as well as to act as a supplemental guide member for the sliding of lock member 33. As shown in Fig. 4, the extended portion 24 of the free hinge butt M is narrowed or cut away at its hinged edge so that the box like head 3% may have space to slide thereon. Referring to the lower hinge assembly in Fig. l; the slot 3! in the member Si is of such length that when the bottom of the slide lock member 33 is in' transverse register with the flanged stop 26 (as I seen'in Fig. 2), the lower end of the slot 3! bears against the adjacent or lower stem member Z9,

and when the sliding lock member is in its lowermost position, the opposite or upper end of slot telescope relative to the other for almost its entire length; and thus the book may be opened at any portion and still have sufiicient post to mount the leaves of that section in their usual overlying order. Since the post [6 is straight, the free edges of v the sheets are positioned in a uniform plane, and the sliding telescope fit of the members ll, id eliminates the inconvenience of the threaded screw post. It is preferable that some small resistance be provided for a sliding of the member 36, and as exemplified herein such a means comprises the downwardly de'-.

formed detents' 32 which may be formed in the body of the membertii by making a pair of longitudinalslits 33 and'stamping downwardly the strip "ofmetal therebetween as at 34, so that 1 the under face of the detent slides with a slight the face of the free hinge claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A loose-leaf binder having a pair of opposed covers, sheet holding means for holding overlying sheets as a unit, hinge means having one butt adapted for connection to the binder cover and another butt free to pivot relative to said. first mentioned butt, means for' releasably securing said free hinge butt to said sheet holding means, comprising a slidably mounted member having a box-like head and a supporting stem, said stem and the free butt being relatively slidably connected and adapted upon relative sliding thereof for moving the box-like head into selective enclosing engagement with, and disengagement from, the free butt of the hinge and the end portion of the sheet holding means.

2. A loose-leaf binder having a pair of opposed covers, sheet holding means for holding overlying sheets as a unit, hinge means having one butt adapted for connection to the binder cover and another butt free to pivot relative to said first mentioned butt, said free butt having an extension which has an edge portion cut away adjacent the hinge pivot, and means for releasably securing said free hinge butt to said sheet holding means comprising a mounted member having a box-like head and a supporting stem, said stern andithe extension of the free butt being relatively slidably connected and adapted upon relative sliding thereof for moving the box-like head into selective enclosing engagement with and disengagement from the free butt of the hinge and the end portion of the sheet holding means. t r

3. A loose-leaf binder having a pair of oppose covers, sheet holding means comprisinga pair. of opposed bars each mounting a plurality of relatively telescoping post members, foriholding overlying sheets as a unit, hinge means having one butt adapted for connection to the binder cover and another butt free topivot relative to said first mentioned butt, and means for releasably securing said free hinge butt to said sheet holding means, comprising a slidably mounted member having a box-like head and a supporting stem, said stem and the free butt being relatively slidably connected and adapted upon relative sliding thereof for moving the box-like head into selective enclosing engagement with, and disengagement from, the free butt of the hinge and the end portion of the sheet holding means.

4. Aloose-leaf binder having a pair of opposed covers, sheet holding means comprising a pair of opposed bars each mounting a plurality of relatively telescoping post members for holding overlying sheets as a unit, hinge meanshaving one butt adapted for connection to the binder cover and another'butt free to pivot relative to said first mentioned butt, said free butt having an extension which has an-edge portion cut away adjacent the hinge pivot, and means for releasably securing said free hinge butt tov said sheet holding means comprising a slidably mounted member. having a box-like head and a supporting stem, said stem and the extension, of the free butt being relatively slidably connected and adapted upon relative sliding thereof for moving the box-like head into selective. enclosing engagement with and disengagement from the free butt of the hinge and'the end portion of, the sheet holding means.

5. A loose-leaf binder having slidably a pair of opposed covers, sheet holding means for holding overlying sheets as a unit, hinge means having one butt adapted for connection to the binder cover and another butt free to pivot relative to said first mentioned butt, and means for releasably securing said free hinge butt to said sheet holding means, comprising a slidably mounted memher having a box-like head and a supporting stem, said stem and the free butt being relatively slidably connected and adapted upon relative sliding thereof for moving the box-like head into selective enclosing engagement with and disengagement from the free butt of the hinge I and the end portion of the sheet holding means,

and means for staying relative longitudinal movement of the free hinge butt and the sheet holding means.

6. A loose-leaf binder having a pair of opposed covers, sheet holding means for holding overlying sheets as a unit, hinge means having one butt adapted for connection to the binder cover and another butt free to pivot relative to said first mentioned butt, said free butt having an extension which has an edge portion cut away adjacent the hinge pivot, means for releasably securing said free hinge butt to said sheet holding means comprising a slidably mounted memher having a box-like head and a supporting stem, said stem and the extension of the free butt being relatively slidably connected and adapted upon relative sliding thereof for moving the box-like head into selective enclosing engagement with and disengagement from the free butt of the hinge and the end portion of the sheet holding means, and means for staying relative longitudinal movement of the free hinge butt and the sheet holding means.

GEORGE LEWIS. 

